According to the National Institutes of Health, those with diabetes are twice as likely to have hearing loss. Because we’re deep into the grilling months, we’re offering a couple of delicious diabetes-friendly side-dish recipes for your next cookout that will tickle taste buds, turn heads, and take it easy on your blood sugar.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients (serves 12)
Stuffing

  • 6 oz Mexican chorizo sausage
  • ½ cup onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (11 oz) whole-kernel corn, drained
  • 2 oz low-fat cream cheese
  • ¼ cup fat-free sour cream
  • ½ tsp salt

 
Remaining ingredients

  • 2 slices whole-wheat bread
  • 24 stuffer mushroom caps (or large, de-stemmed mushrooms)

 

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. Cook de-cased chorizo, onion, and garlic in a skillet over medium heat for 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.
  3. Drain chorizo mixture and pat dry with paper towels.
  4. Combine chorizo mixture and corn in a bowl. Combine cream cheese and sour cream in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
  5. Add cheese mixture and salt to the chorizo mixture.
  6. Pulse bread in food processor until fine crumbs measure 1 cup.
  7. Fill each mushroom cap with about ¾ tsp breadcrumbs, then with 2 tsp corn mixture. Top with remaining breadcrumbs.
  8. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and coat each mushroom with cooking spray.
  9. Bake 20 minutes or until tops are browned.

 

Apricot-Spinach Salad

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • ½ cup dried apricots
  • 1 medium sweet pepper (red or yellow), cut into strips
  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup apricot nectar
  • 2 tbsp salad oil
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 cups shredded fresh spinach

 
Directions

  1. Combine beans, apricots, sweet pepper, green onion, cilantro, and garlic in a bowl.
  2. In a screw-top jar, combine apricot nectar, oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger. Cover and shake well.
  3. Pour over bean mixture and toss gently to coat.
  4. Arrange spinach in a salad bowl and top with black-bean mixture.

 


Sources:
NIH. Hearing Loss Is Common in People with Diabetes.
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/hearing-loss-common-people-diabetes. Accessed May 17, 2017. Recipes adapted from recipes found on DiabeticConnect.com and DiabeticLivingOnline.com, accessed May 17, 2017.

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